The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A 25-year-old man was fined over $10,000 for causing the death of a female passenger when the car he was driving smashed into a utility pole two months ago.

Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux fined Hartman Rolle $10,500 in total for causing the death of Latura Penn on February 2.

Of that sum, $10,000 is for killing in the course of dangerous driving, while $250 apiece is for driving without a valid driver’s licence and while not being covered against third party risk insurance.

Rolle was ordered to be pay half of the total sum yesterday. Failure to pay would result in one year in prison.

According to the facts read off by the prosecutor, Inspector Claudette McKenzie, sometime around 1.30am on the date in question, police control room received reports of a traffic accident at the junction of Soldier Road and Spencer Court.

Officers from the Traffic Division went to the scene and confirmed a collision had occurred involving a grey Nissan Primera registered to Hartman Rolle Sr.

Investigations confirmed at the time of the accident, Rolle was travelling south on Soldier Road when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a utility pole and wall on the eastern side of the street at the junction of Spencer Court.

Rolle was the driver and Penn his front seat passenger. Rear seat passengers Avery Francis and Derek Taylor received serious injuries and had to be extracted from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life apparatus.

EMS personnel were requested and upon arrival immediately rendered medical assistance to all of the vehicle’s occupants before transporting them to hospital for further medical care.

However, Penn died of her injuries in hospital the following day. An autopsy report said she died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries to the head, neck and chest.

Around 9.45pm on April 1, Rolle was cautioned, arrested and subsequently charged with the traffic related offences.